Confessions of a Halloween-holic

I don't care what anyone else thinks, I will still be taking Halloween seriously at 26, and at 47, AND at 93. It's my favorite holiday of the year (I still think we should get a day off of school for it) and no matter how uncool it gets to wear a costume, I'll be doing it.

I think my addiction to Halloween is the result of my childhood. From a young age (infancy, perhaps?) my parents always made sure I had a memorable one. To this day, I have never worn a store-bought costume. My mom used to spend hours making authentic (and sometimes historically accurate) costumes for me, and as I got older, I would put my costumes together on my own, whether it be by using items in my own wardrobe mixed with vintage pieces from my mom's closet or a thrift store, or by neglecting my fall midterms to sew elaborate and often over-ambitious outfits in college. Not to mention, from pre-school through senior year of high school I was involved in several forms of dance, countless plays and musicals, figure skating, and so my love of playing dress up extended far beyond October 31st.

As Zorro at my first ever ice show.

I was the most historically accurate pioneer girl in the history of Halloween. I was a Dutch girl one year too (with a handmade lace hat and authentic wooden clogs) but unfortunately I cannot find any pictures.

From a Filipino dance recital.

The year I did a number to a Greek ethnic song. Opa!

Randomly dressed up in luau gear at my neighborhood block party. Laddie, my dog, wanted to dress up too.

Trick or treating as the devil with some friends.

No, this is not a Halloween costume. I used to enjoy dressing like a beggar woman on random days and going around to my parents asking them for money. Some things never change... as a college kid, I still beg my parents (just in a better looking outfit).

I love Harry Potter, if you can't tell.

My favorite ice show costume ever. Probably because I picked it out and it actually was pretty.

Senior year of high school, we all managed to stay within our preppy dress code while still dressing up for Halloween. Almost every senior that day was an emo kid. Can you spot me in the crowd?

David and I as William Wallace and Pocahontas (Pocahotass) for our first Halloween as college students.

I took being a flower child literally... spent days and days sewing individual flowers onto a dress-shirt-scrap of fabric. Excuse the awk pose, I'm pretending to hug a tree.

With Danielle, as Alice and a cave woman.

As Bjork. Looking like a mess after too much sweaty dancing.

Usually, I just spend all my time working on one really great costume for Halloween, but this year -- god knows why -- I've decided to have three. Granted, none of them are as mind-blowing (if I do say so myself, but hey, it was a runner up in Rackk and Ruin's costume contest last Halloween) as my Bjork swan dress from last year, so I guess I'm making up for it by having multiple ones:

1. Spider

2. Davy Crockett

3. Scar from the Lion King

I've wanted to be a spider since last year, so I only hope I can pull this off as well as I'm picturing in my head. Davy Crockett was a last minute idea -- I've been noticing the fox tail key chains hipsters have been clipping onto their bags lately, and drew inspiration from that. As for Scar, my roommates and I decided to do a group thing one night, and I cannot wait.

Stay tuned for a post-Halloween pic post and DIY costume tips!!!